Ramanath Tagore CSI, a leading figure in 19th century Kolkata society, passed away on this day. Ramanath was a younger brother of Dwarkanath Tagore and a cousin of Prasanna Coomar Tagore. He was a dewan of the Union Bank from 1829 and remained with the bank until its dissolution. He was a member of the Bengal Legislative Council. For his advocacy of tenants’ rights, he earned the name “Ryots’ Friend”.
Ramanath was nominated to the Viceroy’s Council in 1873. He was a supporter of Rammohun Roy’s ideas of religion and of the Brahmo Samaj.
Ramanath was among those who had initiated the establishment of the British Indian Association. With Prasanna Coomar Tagore, Ramanath had started the Indian Reformer. He would contribute extensively to Harkara and Englishman under the pseudonym “Hindu”.
He received the titles Raja, Maharaja and CSI. His statue was installed in Town Hall, Kolkata, soon after his death.